In economics, one of the first things you learn is that saving is defined as foregoing consumption. By putting your money in the bank, you have made an active choice not to spend. But this idea of foregoing consumption is anathema to the thoughts and ideals upon which our consumer economy is structured.

The thought that we can and should spend as much money as possible has brought about our current economic crisis. The problem of overspending has doomed us to the depths of credit oblivion. The overextension of credit has driven our economy into the floor.

Enter President Obama's proposed stimulus plan: $787 billion would be pumped into the economy to "support or revive" the economy. The thinking here is it will create jobs, and people will buy goods and services, increasing demand and production of these goods and services.

While this plan was made with the best of intentions, it is fatally flawed. How can we correct for overspending by overspending? That simply compounds the problem. It may help alleviate some economic woes, but it fails to teach us anything.

What we need is a change in mentality across the board. We should not just go back and do what we did in the first place to get us into this mess.

We simply cannot continue to be such a consumer-oriented country. We need to develop a sense of fiscal responsibility. Only then will the stimulus plan serve to benefit us.

Reach Taylor Mitchell at (Unknown address).